Amazing Women, Paris Auto Show Preview & GM's 100th

September 16, 2008

Arrived in Detroit on Sunday on a Northwest Airlines flight with a big sigh of relief on the tail end of Hurricane Ike, a bumpy white knuckle flight arriving a bit travel weary to be greeted by the ever cheerful and soggy GM welcome committee. The woman driver -- a complete car nut -- whisked me off in a Chevy Tahoe Hybrid to the GM headquarters at the Renaissance Center under gloomy rainy skies. The air at GM's headquarters was electric with the bustle, buzz, and excitement in preparation for the 100th Anniversary celebration Tuesday, September 16th, 2008.

Enjoyed a lovely Italian dinner with the Women's Automotive Association International's Lorraine Schultz CEO and Founder, Lynn Wilhelm President Emeritus, Cynthia D'Amour a BlogHer based in Detroit and Lesley Hettinger, a new member of GM Social Media Communications group. We discussed many issues over dinner related to automotive women, women bloggers, and volunteer associations guided by Cynthia D'Amour MBA and leadership strategist who gave us all much insight on motivating, training, and recruiting an outstanding volunteer organization. You can check out her many books, blogs, and resources at www.peoplepowerunlimited.com. There is nothing more enjoyable for me than great food and stimulating conversation with amazing women.

Recently I had another dinner with another group of amazing women at the home of Julie Brosterman, CEO & Founder Women & Wine, www.WomenWine.com, who generously offerrf and provided a lovely dinner at her circa 1920's villa nestled in the Hollywood Hills. Another memorable dinner with a group of powerful, insightful, brilliant women; Jane Schoberger, author and CEO of www.prettytough.com, Lynn Forbes from www.smartnow.com, and Linda Hollander, author Founder of the Women’s Small Business Expo www.wealthybaglady.com. I am truly blessed to have so many supportive, talented, and exceptional women in my life, in and out of the automotive industry.

Now... back to Detroit and the Paris Motor Show Preview on Monday September 15, 2008.

Monday, after a lovely luncheon with members of the automotive press, I attended the GM Paris Auto Show preview where three new GM designs were revealed ,and chatted with GM's Head of Design, the very passionate Ed Welburn and Ed Pepers, General Manager for Chevrolet.

The most exciting new Cadillac announcement for me personally was the new CTS Sport Wagon and its unmistakable and dynamic presence. The car’s intricately cut rear profile injects fashion-forward design into the formerly utilitarian world of wagons. Cadillac’s upcoming wagon offers ample interior space and includes a range of six-cylinder engine choices, making it a compelling alternative to larger utility vehicles. Based on the hot-selling CTS sport sedan, and a sister vehicle to the CTS Coupe Concept, the Sport Wagon extends the design-driven renaissance of Cadillac. Following the recent special premiere here in Detroit today, the CTS Sport Wagon moves to the worldwide auto show circuit this fall – and into Cadillac dealerships in spring 2009.

Visitors to the Paris show will see the introduction of the Chevrolet Cruze which will be available in Europe from March 2009, followed by other global markets with regional-specific engine choices. This car with fit between the Chevy Malibu and Cobalt in the Chevy vehicle lineup with yet another compact, fuel efficient, stylish choice.

Chevrolet’s progressive design is also reflected in the quality of the all-new Cruze’s interior. The use of grained surfaces, soft-touch materials, and low-gloss trim panels ensures a quality ambience that echoes the clean, harmonious design of the exterior.

We were shown some of the first images of the Orlando show car which is making its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show in October -- a clear indication that Chevrolet is considering an expansion to its portfolio with a seven-seat multi-purpose family vehicle with distinctive sport utility-like design, adaptable seating, and impressive interior space.

Based on the recently announced all-new Cruze compact sedan, the Orlando show car carries Chevrolet’s signature design language into a new vehicle segment. It explores the potential of combining the versatility attributes of a sport utility, a family van, and a wagon in a single execution.

Inside, the five-door Orlando is designed to meet the needs of families and those who need plenty of seating capacity with adaptable, theater-style seating in three rows that comfortably accommodate up to seven occupants. Whenever load carrying becomes a priority, the spacious cabin can be quickly transformed into a large cargo area. A generous 2760 mm wheelbase and wide front and rear tracks provide Orlando with outstanding interior roominess.

Following the recent announcement of the all-new Cruze sedan, the Orlando show car promises another page in Chevrolet’s product portfolio and another step in Chevrolet’s plan to offer customers around the globe impressive value, quality and fuel efficiency.

Happy 100th Birthday GM....Love the efforts of GM to bring more family friendly vehicle choices to the market. Which of these new vehicles excites you? Better yet, which of the deserts I almost overdosed on at dinner last night whets your appetite? LOL.